Half of the world’s workers – 1.5 billion people – work in water-related sectors. Water is more than just essential for health; it is vital for creating jobs and supporting economic development.This year’s theme for World Water Day is “Water and Wastewater,” which provides an opportunity to focus on how climate change, population growth and economic development affect sustainable solutions in the management of freshwater resources.

World Water Day is also used to highlight a program called WaSH (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene). Affordable access to safe water, adequate sanitation and proper hygiene is a key public health issue, especially in developing countries.

Here are some global facts about water that may surprise you:

More people have a mobile phone than a toilet.

25 percent of bottled water is tap water in a bottle

A 4-year study of 1000 bottled water companies revealed no evidence that bottled water is cleaner than tap.

1 in 9 people do not have access to clean water

⅔ of our drinking water comes from rivers and streams

Half of the world’s hospital beds are filled with people suffering from water-related diseases.

30,000 people die every week from unsafe water and hygienic conditions